Friday, January 29

Baton Rouge, La – The Southern University Agricultural
Research and Extension Center has been awarded a three-year, $1.5 million grant
that will provide economic recovery and revitalization of communities that
suffered damage as a result of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

The majority of the grant - $1,002, 149.03, which was funded
by the Louisiana Division of Administration’s Office of Community Development,
Disaster Recovery Unit, will provide dedicated funding for the purchase of a
high tech, state of the art mobile education and technology unit that the
Center will use to provide educational training, bring Interact access, hands
on testing and live instruction to low-to-moderate income families residing in
the most marginalized areas and remote corners of the state.

“The Southern University Ag Center is excited to help the
citizens of Louisiana through this program,” said Southern University Ag Center
interim Chancellor Adell Brown, Jr. “We will help small farmers re-establish
their businesses as a result of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The funds will also allow the Center to
retrain residents for new employment opportunities. These resources are
critical in aiding the SU Ag Center’s continual dissemination of vital
educational programs to those needing services the most.”

The program, named Enhancing Capacity of Louisiana’s Small
Farms & Businesses, will provide four certification courses in the areas
of: Small Ag Business Development; Small Ruminant Production; Food Safety and
Sustainable Urban Agriculture to the residents of the 53 parishes declared as
federal disaster areas after the storms.

According to the ‘Economic Impact of Hurricanes Gustav and
Ike on Louisiana,’ report released by the Louisiana Department of Economic
Development, the financial impact of both storms was between $10 - $20 billion,
affecting approximately 97,000 businesses and small farms.

Data from the LSU AgCenter estimates the losses to the
Louisiana agricultural industries to be $1.1 billion in total impact and $5.32
billion in aggregate farm gate value.

“Recovering from the agricultural losses caused by
Hurricanes Gustav and Ike has been particularly challenging for Louisiana’s
small farmers,” said Office of Community Development Executive Director Pat
Forbes. “We are proud to have partnered
with Southern University’s Agricultural Research and Extension Center to use
disaster recovery funding to help these farmers, providing training that will
improve their operations and make their small businesses successful far into
the future.”

“The SU Ag Center will use the funding to expand and in some
cases develop new educational programs to enhance the knowledge base of small
farmers in communities impacted by the hurricanes,” said Dawn Mellion-Patin,
project director of the program and Agricultural Specialist at the Center.

“These citizens have suffered so much and for so long. The
Southern University Ag Center has a long withstanding tradition of working with
marginalized audiences and this effort is a perfect complement to our current
efforts while broadening our reach statewide,” added Patin.

With a report from the Louisiana Association of United Ways
stating that 40 percent of Louisiana’s households either fall into the class of
the working poor or are in poverty; this program hopes to open new avenues of
delivery, instruction, production and markets through its various certification
courses to end the economic struggles of the state’s poverty stricken parishes.

“This funding will allow the SU Ag Center’s researchers and
specialists an opportunity to take research-based information into communities
to citizens and address the needs as voiced by the underserved,” said Gina E.
Eubanks, the Center’s Vice Chancellor for Extension.

Hurricane Gustav made landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana on
Sept. 1, 2008 as a category 2 storm with peak winds of over 90 miles per hour.
Ike made landfall only 12 days later on Sept. 13, 2008, as a category 2
hurricane near Galveston, TX with maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per
hour.

The aftermath of the storms caused the following parishes to
be declared federal disaster areas:

“At the conclusion of this project, we expect that
Louisiana's most marginalized small farmers and agricultural business owners
will have the opportunity to increase incomes and expand their businesses and
farms. Ultimately we expect Louisiana's small farmers and agricultural
businesses to move from being at crisis levels to experiencing long-term
sustainability,” said Patin.

Southern
University Ag Center’s CoC led charge to implement the tobacco-free policy

Baton Rouge, La. – The Southern University Ag Center’s Communities of Color Network
(CoC), led the charge in Louisiana as the Southern University System became the
first University System to establish a 100% Tobacco-Free Policy. CoC, under the leadership of its director,
Linda Early Brown, initiated this policy effort.

The CoC is a statewide
entity that educates communities of color about the dangers of tobacco use,
secondhand smoke exposure and the availability of smoking cessation
resources. The network’s regional
coordinators, Hendrix Broussard; Urina Holt; LaTonya Owens and Frankie Poland,
continue to lead the way in this endeavor statewide through educational
workshops. The program is funded via a grant with the Louisiana Campaign for
Tobacco-Free Living.

In October 2012, CoC
recommended the 100% Tobacco-Free Policy to the Southern University System
(SUS) Board of Supervisors and it was approved with an effective date of
January, 2013. This was approximately a
year prior to the state mandate that all Louisiana colleges and universities
adopt a similar tobacco policy effective August 1, 2014.

According to the policy,
the use of tobacco products on any Southern University campus is prohibited by
students, staff, faculty or visitors in campus buildings, facilities, or
property owned or leased by the Southern University System and outside areas of
the campus where non-smokers cannot avoid exposure to smoke; on campus grounds,
facilities, or vehicles that are the property of the campus; and at lectures,
conferences, meeting, and social and cultural events held on school property or
school grounds. Further, the sale or
free distribution of tobacco products, including merchandise on campus or at
school events is prohibited.

The Communities of
Color Network extends congratulations to all SU Ag Center employees and thanks them for their continued efforts in assisting with the
implementation of the 100% Tobacco-Free System Policy and encourages them to
continue their efforts in making the System a place to live, learn, work, and play where healthier air for all is the
norm.

Baton
Rouge, La. – Fatemeh Malekian, Southern University Ag Center professor of food and nutrition has published an article entitled "Nutritional Characteristics
and Consumer Acceptability of Sausages with Different Combinations of Goat and Beef
Meats," in the Functional Foods in
Health and Disease Journal - Vol 6, No. 1, January 2016. You can find the article
by following the link below: http://ffhdj.com/index.php/ffhd/issue/view/66

Tuesday, January 26

Baton Rouge, La. – Southern University Ag Center staff members Mila Berhane, Stephanie
Elwood and Owusu Bandele (retired professor emeritus) are listed among the
conference presenters for the 25th annual conference of the Southern
Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SWAG), Inc.

The conference, themed
Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms, will be held in
Lexington, KY from Jan. 27-30, 2016.

Both Berhane and
Elwood will make a joint presentation on “Getting Great Starts,” which will
discuss the best systems for growing transplants in heated tunnels or
greenhouses.

Berhane will also make
a presentation on “Integrated Ecological Weed Management: Examples of Organic
Farms in the South,” with experts from North Carolina and Georgia.

Bandele will present
during the Friday Edition of ‘Voices From the Field: The Everyday Work.’ This
special event will feature individuals whose everyday work contributes to
remarkable progress in the areas of sustainable, organic and/or local food movement.

The Southern SWAG
Conference provides practical tools and solutions for sustainable and organic
farmers, as well as, creates more vibrant community food systems. The event is
planning to draw more than 1,000 farmers and local food advocates from across
the nation.

Its’ mission is to
empower and inspire farmers, individuals, and communities in the South to
create an agricultural system that is ecologically sound, economically viable,
socially just, and humane.

The specialist
provided the farmers with an action plan with control recommendations for
insect and disease management.

Last year Southeast
Louisiana received 12 inches of rainfall in late October. This excessive
soaking after rain showers and storms can ruin a plants’ roots, which in turn
affects how plants grow. Strawberries
are among the most challenging horticultural crops to grow in the South due to
high levels of soil borne pathogens, such as phytophthora.

When the soil becomes
saturated with water, this pathogen can produce and release zoospores, which
swim through water-filled pores to infect plant tissue. Infections can occur
during cool to moderate temperatures, which are typical throughout Southeast
Louisiana fruit and vegetable production cycles.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of phytophthora
usually begin in the upper part of the plant's crown and spread downward. The
youngest leaves wilt suddenly and often turn a bluish green color. Wilting
spreads quickly throughout the plant, and complete collapse occurs within
days. When infected plants are cut open,
a brown discoloration can be seen in the crown's vascular tissue or throughout
the crown's tissue.

Field Management:

The pathogen can be
controlled in production fields by using soil fumigation and good cultural
practices. These practices include the use of certified transplants, avoiding
poorly drained soils, and preparing fields to provide good soil drainage during
wet weather.

Soil Preparation:

Good surface drainage
is absolutely necessary for a successful vegetable garden. Water standing in
the garden for long periods of time is fatal to the growth of vegetables. Low
and wet areas can be improved by adding eight inch layers of top soil
(two-three yards of topsoil per 100 square feet) to raise the garden site. Also
make sure to put in drains to carry water away from the garden and plant crops
on high rows. All vegetable crops in
Louisiana should be grown on raised beds at least 10 inches high. High rows
encourage good drainage, especially during times of heavy rains.

Cultural Control:

Use raised beds and
carefully managed drip irrigation; plant in non-infested soils that have good
drainage. Soil solarization has been shown to be effective for the control of
soil borne pathogens and weeds. Solarization is a method of using the natural
energy of the sun to sufficiently heat the soil to temperatures high enough to
kill many soil pests. To use this method, a clear plastic tarp is used to cover
the soil, trapping heat beneath it. Pests that may be killed during
solarization includes nematodes, plant diseases, and weeds. Most nematodes are
killed when the soil temperature goes above 118 degrees. The hottest months, June, July, and August,
are the best times for solarization. Adequate moisture should be present in the
soil to irrigate it, if necessary before treating. If conditions are dry it’s
advisable to run some type of irrigation or soaker hose under the plastic to
water the soil during the course of the treatment. The plastic tarp should be
left on the area for eight weeks.

Control Management:

Commercial farmers
should use fungicides, such as Ridomil Gold SL or Aliette WDG, to manage crown
rots. Begin a fungicide application at
the first sign of disease and repeat applications according to the product’s directions.

Monday, January 25

Kentwood High Magnet School O.M.G. Club members use visual materials to complete their individual vision boards, which represent their personal goals for 2016.

Kentwood, La. – On Wednesday, January 20th the Southern University Ag Center hosted a
Vision Board Party for the Outstanding Mature Girlz (O.M.G.) Club at Kentwood
High Magnet School. There were 40 young
ladies in attendance, anxiously waiting to create a visual of positive
affirmations that reflected their personal goals for 2016.

Vision boards are
visual representations of what an individual envisions for their life.
Individuals are encourage to use personal photos or visual materials to define
their year-long aspirations and goals.

“I was really excited
to see so many young ladies not only include college on their vision boards,
but they were also cutting out magazine clippings that represented our beloved
Southern University,” said SU Ag Center’s Assistant Area Agent, Nicolette
Gordon.

After the club members
completed their vision boards they were instructed to hang their boards in a
place where they could view their dreams and aspirations daily.

The next vision board
party is scheduled to take place at St. Helena College & Career Academy in
February.

For more information about the O.M.G. Club, contact
Nicolette Gordon in the Tangipahoa Parish Extension Office at 985.748.9381, or
in the St. Helena Parish Extension Office at 225.222.4136.

(Article written by Nicolette Gordon, Assistant Area
Agent at the SU Ag Center.)

Fatemeh Malekian, Professor,
Nutrition Sciences and Kasundra Cyrus, Extension Specialist/Family and Human
Development attended the 73rd Annual Professional
Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) which was held on December 6-8, 2015
at the Kellogg Conference Center, Tuskegee University. The SU Ag Center participants made a PowerPoint presentation titled "Effect of Whey Protein/Resistant Starch on Body Weight" and a poster presentation in conjunction with shake/smoothie preparation demonstration.

The conference was
themed: “Beyond the Veil – Agriculture, Families and Communities of the Future:
Local, National, and Global Perspectives"

The Professional
Agricultural Workers Conference is a forum committed to a world that values and
promotes equal opportunity equitable access to information and technology for
sustainable development of communities and natural resources. The conference
began in 1942 mainly with Tuskegee University and local and state support and
participation. It is now national in scope including representatives from the
national land grant community, and from the state, federal, and private
sectors. The 2015 PAWC will be held in December 6th to 8th at the Kellogg
Conference Center, Tuskegee University.

SU Ag Center Area Agent for St. Helena and Tangipahoa Parishes, Ahmad Robertson (pictured on the left in a black jacket), analyzes strawberries with Tangipahoa grower Frank Arnoe during a recent farm visit.

Baton Rouge, La. – To have a rich strawberry harvest in the spring, the berries should be
well protected against frost. With this season’s plunging overnight temperatures,
it is important to consider implementing a freeze protection plan for your strawberry
buds and blossoms.

Temperature control is
important during the winter and early spring when the flowers are susceptible
to frost. Tangipahoa growers aren’t
taking any chances as they have an action plan of laying out row covers this
winter. During recent farm visits with LSU Ag Center Specialists, Drs. Raj
Singh and Kiki Fontenot, we learned how commercial vegetable producers such as the
Liuazza’s, Faust’s, Mendez’s, Arnoe’s, Capace’s, and Holmes are protecting
their crops and using integrated pest and disease management practices.

Strawberries are grown
annually in Louisiana and have been an important horticulture crop for
centuries. Both Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes are traditional commercial
production areas for the crop. These commercial growers started harvesting
their berries in Mid-November. Production usually slows up during the winter
and peaks again in March and April, just in time for the annual Ponchatoula
Strawberry Festival.

It is recommended that strawberry growers
cover their plants whenever the temperature drops below 35 degrees. Currently,
Louisiana commercial and home strawberry farmers should be protecting
their green fruit and buds with row covers. You may take the following
steps to protect your plants from freezing:

·Place row
covers, made of light polypropene fabric, directly on top of the plants to
protect the fruit and blooms from frost. The heavier the cover, the more
protection they will provide. The covers work by trapping heat during the day,
which promotes plant development and earlier harvest. The covers should
be removed during the day when temperature rises above 40 degrees to allow
pollination, pest control, and prevention of leaf scorch.

·Black
plastic and pine straw mulch are also great management practices that can be
used on a farm operation.

During one of the farm visits, Tangipahoa
growers Mr. Frank Arnoe and Guy Capace, reminisced about the how they used sprinklers
in the late 80’s and mid 90’s to protect their crop and having to stay up all
night to monitor their berries.

The practice of using sprinklers as a method of freeze
protection is effective, but it must be used correctly. The idea is to slowly
build ice over the plant or row covers during the period when temperatures are
below freezing. As ice is formed some heat is released to the plant's surface
and the surrounding air, due to fusion. To do this, sprinklers must be turned
on before temperatures are at 34-35 degrees. Use low volume sprinklers to apply irrigation throughout the night to build an ice cover over the plants. The
farmers said they were happy when row covers (what they referred to as new
technology) was available to purchase and improved their production.

Below are some freeze terms and information on
what can happen to plants if they are not protected.

Wednesday, January 20

Pictured are partners of the 2016 Breathe Free campaign following the Breathe Free Press Conference on January 20 in the Galvez Plaza of Downtown Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge, La. – In partnership with local health
agencies, the Southern University Ag Center’s Communities of Color Network
Director, Linda Early Brown and Regional Coordinator, Frankie Poland
participated in the Breathe Free Press Conference on Wednesday, January 20th,
to announce the 2016 “Breathe Free” campaign. The event was held in Galvez Plaza in Downtown Baton Rouge.

The purpose of the press conference was to kick off
the second annual “Breathe Free” campaign, which is designed to raise public
awareness about the importance of providing tobacco-free environments for the
entire community. The 2016 campaign will
run from January 20 through January 27, and will feature messages in hospital,
clinics, on social media and throughout the city, including Southern
University, to encourage Baton Rouge to “Breath Free.”

During the workshop, Robertson, an area agent in St.
Helena Parish, facilitated a presentation on ‘Backyard Fruit Production.’ This
presentation provided the facility’s trustees with knowledge on proper planting
methods, pruning, diseases, pest control, conventional and organic growing
practices, variety selection and cultural tips for specific fruits grown in
Southeast Louisiana.

Ross, who is an agent for St. Martin and Iberia Parishes,
gave a presentation on ‘Improving Soil Health to Improve Plant Health,’ which
helped to foster the knowledge and science of maintaining soil and its direct
effect on plant health.

Participants were excited to learn about the types of
fruits they were able to grow within the institution’s current landscape. They
were also intrigued to learn the vital importance of balancing soil nutrients
along with maintaining a proper pH to produce optimum growing conditions.

Most of the participants stated that they will put the
knowledge and skills learned from the prison’s horticulture program to use once
they leave L.C.I.W. Many said they believe the hands-on trainings and
certifications received from their horticulture class will enable them to find
employment in the landscaping and greenhouse industry.

The SU Ag Center will continue to provide
horticultural programs for incarcerated adults and youth in an effort to offer
science, education, job training, conservation projects, and sustainable
operations to corrections facilities across Louisiana.

This workshop was made possible through a partnership
with Willie Sims, a Baton Rouge Community College Horticulture Instructor who
works within the incarcerated trustee communities.

(Article written by Ahmad Robertson, Sr., SU Ag Center Area Agent for St. Helena Parish.)

While there, Dr. Brown was able to speak with U.S. Congressman
Ralph Abraham, who represents the 5th District of Louisiana.

The luncheon, which honors legislators and regional leaders
in agricultural production, service and business, is one of several events held
during the annual AG EXPO.

The North Louisiana Agri-Business Council is a
not-for-profit corporation governed by a volunteer board of directors. Its
mission is to provide education across all demographics regarding agriculture’s
contributions to the basic needs of food and fiber, and economic welfare.

For additional information about the Council or its AG
EXPO, visit agexpo.org.

Thursday, January 14

SU Ag Center interim Chancellor Dr. Adell Brown, Jr., Vice Chancellor for Extension Dr. Gina E. Eubanks, along with members of the SU Ag Center and the SUBR's College of Sciences and Agriculture, discuss ways to enhance their relations during a meeting held at the SU Ag Center on Jan. 14.

Baton Rouge, La. – Officials from the United States
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Louisiana office visited the Southern
University Agricultural Research and Extension Center on Jan. 14.

SU Ag Center’s interim Chancellor Dr. Adell Brown,
Jr., Vice Chancellor for Extension Dr. Gina E. Eubanks, along with several
faculty and staff of the SU Ag Center and professors from the Southern
University Baton Rouge campus’ College of Sciences and Agriculture, met with Kevin
Norton, the state’s USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Program
Liaison; Randolph Joseph, NRCS State Conservationist; Craig McCain, Louisiana’s
Executive Director of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Christine
Normand, FSA’s Administrative Chief during
the visit.

The group held a round table discussion which focused
on enhancing the relationship with both the NRCS and FAS by realigning programs
to help the state’s clientele and provide more opportunities for students in
the field of agriculture.

The Southern University Ag Center and the SUBR’s
College of Sciences and Agriculture will continue to work with the USDA to
enhance economic opportunities, provide highly competitive agricultural systems
and help the citizens of Louisiana become a healthier, more nourished
population.

Monday, January 11

Dr. Fatemeh Malekian, standing in a white coat, talks to participants during the shake/ smoothie demonstration while Dr. Kasundra Cyrus, standing in the background, prepares shakes during the Professional Agricultural Workers Conference at Tuskegee University.

Baton Rouge, La. – Southern University Ag Center staff
members Drs. Fatemeh Malekian, Professor of Nutrition and Food Science; Kasundra
Cyrus, Extension Specialist for Family and Human Development and Renita
Marshall, Associate Professor of Animal Science were among the featured speakers
during the 73rd Annual Professional Agricultural Workers Conference
(PAWC) held at Tuskegee University, December 6th – 8th.

During the conference, Malekian and Cyrus presented a PowerPoint
presentation titled “Effect of Whey Protein/Resistant Starch on Body Weight”
and conducted a poster presentation in conjunction with a shake/smoothie demonstration.

Marshall presented a presentation titled, “Evaluation
of Herd Health Programs and Management Practices on Small Beef Cattle Farm
Operations: A Case for Prevention vs Treatment,” during the Livestock Research
and Outreach session of the conference.

Additional information on Whey Protein can be obtained
by visiting, goo.gl/akNEhx.

Friday, January 8

Baton Rouge, La. – Nutrition agents in Calcasieu Parish
with the Southern University and LSU Ag Centers have been awarded a Walmart
Community Health and Wellness Initiative grant by the Walmart Foundation. Southern Ag Center’s Carol Sensley and LSU
AgCenter’s Shatonia McCarty will be presented with the award on Wednesday,
January 20, 2016 at 7 a.m. during the grand opening of a Walmart Neighborhood
Store on Ryan Street in Lake Charles, LA for their work with the Creating,
Healthy, Enjoyable Foods (C.H.E.F.) Cooking Camps.

The C.H.E.F. Camps are designed to teach youth basic
cooking principles and nutrition education based on the USDA’s “MyPlate” food
guidance system and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Each day, participants work together to
create an entire meal while learning healthy eating and physical activity
principles, food preparation, kitchen and food safety, common cooking terms,
proper food handling, measuring techniques, critical thinking and team building
skills, planning and time management.

During the summer of 2015, Mrs. McCarty and Mrs.
Sensley conducted three cooking camps throughout the Lake Charles community at the
Throne of Grace Fellowship, Zion Tabernacle Church and with the Sickle Cell
Foundation. It was the camp conducted at
the Throne of Grace Fellowship that caught the attention of church member and
Walmart Store Manager, Tiffany Johnson. Therefore
producing the grant opportunity.

The funds awarded through the grant will provide
support to community outreach to promote health and wellness among Lake Charles
residents. During the store's grand
opening, Sensley & McCarty will conduct food demonstrations and provide
nutrition information.

Baton Rouge, La. – Several members of the Southern University
Ag Center’s state office swapped their dress shoes for sneakers on Wednesday,
Jan. 6 as interim Chancellor Dr. Adell Brown, Jr. led them on a mile and a half
walk around the rear parking lot of A. O. Williams Hall.

The group laced up their shoes as part of the Ag
Center’s internal employee health initiative called, “Looking Good, Feeling
Great,” which was launched on Monday, Jan. 4.

The program, which is voluntary, has been developed
and executed especially for all SU Ag Center employees, regardless of their
location.

Parish staff and other employees not located in the
state office are encouraged to participate at their location and post photos of
their activities on the SU Ag Center’s Facebook and Twitter pages using the
hashtag, #SUAgCenterLGFG.